Strolling the cobbled streets of Grasse — past cafes, the Notre Dame du Puy cathedral and the 12th-century bishop’s palace — a visitor would find it hard to imagine that the medieval Provençal town is associated with a billion-dollar perfume industry.

But with soil and climate that are perfect for fields of jasmine, tuberose and hyacinth, perfume has a long history there. And though the fields are not in use the way they once were (thanks to a trend toward synthetic essences, which are often stronger than their natural counterparts), the area is still home to a handful of traditional perfumeries, among them Fragonard.

New York Times